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Tokyo Washoku Experiences

Cherry blossom bento boxes, making your own Japanese food, shops for cooking utensils, and soup stock packs that are perfect souvenirs. Today we check out ways to enjoy washoku, Japanese cuisine.

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Highlights

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
A popular park noted for its cherry blossom trees. These trees, which number over 1,000, attract visitors in droves when they bloom in spring.

Kayanoya
This shop's Dashi Packs make creating dashi soup stock a snap. Customers are free to sample the dashi and washoku dishes it's been used to prepare.

Iida
A cooking utensil specialist located on Kappabashi Street, this store carries 10,000 types of items, making it a one-stop utensil shop. Frequented by pros as well as enthusiasts, it's full of high-quality cooking equipment.

Kama-Asa
Another shop on Kappabashi Street, this one specializes in kitchen knives. English-speaking staff members are on-hand to instruct overseas customers in proper use. Customers can even get their names engraved on their new knives.

Buddha Bellies Cooking School Tokyo
A washoku cooking school where visitors from outside Japan can learn how to make Japanese foods like sushi and udon in English.

Blind Restaurant
At this monthly event, participants eat in pitch darkness, employing only their senses of smell and taste to enjoy food in a deep way. Organized by the chief priest of a 400-year-old temple.

Further Info

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1) Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Address: 11 Naitomachi, Shinjuku-ku

2) Kayanoya

Address: B1F Tokyo Midtown Galleria, 9-7-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku

3) Iida

Address: 2-21-6 Nishi-Asakusa, Taito-ku

4) Kama-Asa

Address: 2-24-1 Matsugaya, Taito-ku

5) Buddha Bellies Cooking School Tokyo

Address: 2F, 2-4-3 Kanda-Jinbocho, Chiyoda-ku

6) Blind Restaurant

Address: Ryokusenji Temple, 1-8-5 Nishi-Asakusa, Taito-ku

Others

Bento boxes: Daimaru Tokyo

Address: 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku

Premium Henami Bento: Kazahana

Address: 28F Conrad Tokyo, 1-9-1 Higashi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku

Reporter

Felicia Gonzalez

Nationality:

American

Occupation:

Event producer, band /artist management, English language curriculum development and Instructor

When did you first come to Japan?:

I arrived in 2007.

Reason for coming to Japan:

Having always been a bit adventurous and ready to embark on new things, the thought suddenly came to me to go to Japan and see what adventures might await. The very next week, I had bought my one-way ticket, basic phrasebook and was one my way!